It's been a while....

Well...as the title says...it's been a while since I last blogged. I have actually tried to blog on my phone...but I somehow have a knack for messing it up and it doesn't post. And, are you aware how tiny the keyboard for typing is on my phone? Sheesh!! :D

So...I have news!! Some of you may know that a month ago or so...I wanted a job because I am tired of sitting at home...not doing much. Well, I turned down the job at the retirement center (would have been housekeeping...) because for some reason, things just didn't seem "right" to me. Well, a couple weeks ago, my wonderful husband got me a job at the Clackamas Bakery...It is a 120 day position...and it paid pretty well. I passed the "Physical" part of the job...you know the one where you go to the Dr's and do the physical and then they take you to this room and make you get physical? WOW!! It was pretty intense...I mean, why take a membership at a gym...you should just go there cause you really DO get a workout!!

So I passed the physical (and was so sore the next couple of days!!) but that's what I get for being a stay at home mom. I lift boxes and laundry at home...but that was crazy!! I then go in for orientation...get my name badge, and gate key and I am told I will start on Wednesday. So, I get to the bakery about 15 minutes early on the day that I am to report to "work." The foreman shows me around, and tells me that I will be on the bun line...putting pans on the conveyor belt. So, I start doing this...meanwhile, while you are putting the pans on the belt...you are also looking back to where the dough balls feed into the machine to make sure they arn't getting jammed...which in turn can cause a backup...which in turn...is not good. So, I do my job...and after the first hour...notice that my finger is pretty sore. So, I take off my glove and there is my first blister. OUCH!! Then, they put me on the other end of the bun line...this time, you are taking the pans that have the dough on them, and you are putting them on these racks...which are about 12 shelves high. The only thing is, is that you have to keep up with how fast the pans are coming off the conveyor belt. Not only that, but you have to make sure that the buns are in the pans correctly...because if you let a pan with double buns go, then it messes up the entire package of buns..once they are done baking and packaged, which in turn, makes someone else have to redo the package...which equals time and money spent making sure there is the correct amount of buns in the package. So, I am doing this...and you have to rack them in the correct order...up to down and then side to side. So, I am doing this..and it's DAMN hot!! And and after a while of doing this...I feel like I am going to faint!! I mean, I am hot...shaky...and it's all I can do to not fall down!! Gosh...I totally felt like such a baby!! So, they take me into the freezer...and assure me that I am not the only person to do this. You just need to get "broken" in and then you will be a pro in no time!! So, after that...I kind of get into a groove...I then go back to the front, and rack more pans onto the line. You need to do this very quickly because if you don't, you will mess up the pans and buns at the end!! I mean, you are putting a 15 lb pan on about every second...oh, and sometimes, there are leftover buns that didn't get depanned...so you need to throw those out...and there are pans that get stuck together, so you need to hurry and get them unstuck. I don't know which end was worse...the grueling up and down part at the end...(I felt like Lucy when she is at the candy factory and the belt goes too fast so she sticks them down her shirt and in her mouth!!) although, I couldn't possibly put the racks anywhere on my body...so, of course, they have no where to go except down...(oh, just so we are clear, they don't reuse the dough that fell on the floor!! :D ) Finally, it's about 5:30pm and the bun line is done for the day. Well, I am lowest on the totem pole, so it's up to me to clean up. Cleaning I can do!! YAY!! No more lifting those damn pans!! After everything was cleaned up...I then went to another line...the line that the finished bun product is on. That was a much better job...you take the buns out that won't pass muster (I didn't say mustard!!) and you repackage them. After that, the last of the buns were coming off the cooling rack and getting packaged...so I went over to that line and made sure they were coming at the ideal rate for the bagger to bag them. Then...after that, it's time to clean up and then go home. Home...the place I long for!! So, I get home, and Kent has dinner on the table for me and a glass of wine and Yanni playing in the background...like it used to be oh so long ago when I would come home from a 12 hour shift at work...well, I totally bypass everyone...go have a nice CRY in the shower...and finally make my way back upstairs, where I sob saying this is the worst job on earth and how can they make anyone do a job like that? How can anyone stay there doing a job like that for 25 years?? My family is very sympathetic to me...they dry my tears, and tell me that I don't have to go back if I don't want to. Well, I am not a quitter, so I get up at 4am the next day to go back. There is a meeting at 6am...which lasts till about 7am...and then it's back to the bun line. I again, put the pans on the line for what seemed like an eternity...but was only about an hour. I mean, I looked at the clock thinking that at least a half hour had passed...and it was only 10 minutes. I tried singing to myself...I tried praying (Lord, make this go faster!!) I tried dancing...nothing worked to make this job go any faster!! So then, a while later, they tell me that there is a back up in the proofer, so I am to go to lunch. I zombie walk to the lunch room, eat a few bites...then go to the ladies changing room and text Kent telling him I just don't think that I can do this!! I had looked at the schedule for the next week, and all I saw was BUN LINE..all 5 days of the next week!! Holy Sh*T!!
Well, Kent tells me to come up to his office...so I do...and I tell him I just don't think this is the job for me (I was crying...yet again!!) He tells me it's OK...so we go and talk to Joe...who oversees the bakery part. Joe is fine with me just leaving (he too is sympathetic to me...so I go and give the key fob thing to Carol...and say I am sorry. They are all very nice there...(They all DID try to tell me that this was a very physical job!!) so I go out to my car...and I leave!! I don't look back!! This was NOT the job for me!! However, yesterday, Joe goes up to Kent and asks Kent if he could talk to him..privately. So, Kent says..come up to my office...so Joe goes in and shuts the door and tells Kent that they are going to redo the lines...and that if they put me somewhere else...and not just on the killer line, would I be interested in coming back? WHOA!! Maybe they weren't purposely trying to kill me off in the first place!!

But....
I see this job on Craigslist the other day...and it's for a receptionist position at this hair salon in Sellwood. So, I call and talk to the owner...and go in for an interview the next day (which is Saturday.) Well, I felt very old on Saturday...kind of like Mrs. Doubtfire...not THAT old...but just really frumpy...and my hair was in desperate need of a haircut...so it looked poofy...and I just felt grandmotherly. So, I go in and meet Eric the owner...and we talk...and he tells me to come back in for another interview on Monday at 4:30 pm. He isn't the one to make the decision, but Rebecca (who originally was in this position) makes the decision. So, I get to the salon about 20 minutes early (that's not unusual for me...I HATE being late!!), and I walk in, and there is an interview going on so Eric asks me if I would mind waiting on the front porch. I said no problem, and sat on a chair, enjoying the warm weather and sunshine.

Normally, I am not a nervous person...but I am that day!! I am totally freaked out...knowing they are interviewing other people...and I feel like I just want to bolt...I mean, I want to just peek my head in the door and say there is an emergency or something at home and tell them I hope they find their perfect someone. I WANT to do that...but I don't.

I sit there like a good girl, and wait patiently for my turn. Then it's my turn...and I go in and talk to Eric and Rebecca, and I am in there all of 15 minutes and there is another gal waiting to be interviewed as well, so I don't want to take up too much of their time. I tell them I hope they find their match...and thanked them for the interview. They told me they would call me that night...either way.

So, with a kind of heavy heart, I head home. I am somewhat a pessimist at times. My husband on the other hand is the exact opposite...he has all the faith in that small mustard seed...and I LOVE him for that!! So, he is out to dinner with some clients, and he texts me and asks me how it went, and I just say...I don't know...but my gut feeling is probably not...knowing how many people inquired for this position!! The kids and I eat dinner, and I am lazily browsing SMO when my phone rings...upstairs!! So, I run upstairs and Ashlyn hands me my phone and it's Rebecca. She tells me that I am in the running and she has a few questions to ask me about my surrogacy...like if I will keep them informed of the time I need off and so on and I assure her that I will. She then says that will talk it over with Eric and call me back. So, Ashlyn and I sit on my bed talking about a recipe that she is doing, and Rebecca calls back and.............




She offered me the position!!! I want to scream and jump up and down at that point because I really felt that I would be a good receptionist, and it's part time so the hours would be fabulous for my family...and they are great with the surrogacy...and...and...and!! I can't believe it!! I got the job!! On my own merit...(meaning...without my husbands help, but thanks babe!!) YAY!!! So, I start on Friday!! And I get to wear cute clothes (well, I guess someone needs to go shopping!!) And...we move on Saturday...OOPS...gotta work that day!! But...I will be plenty busy this week...so...what the heck am I doing typing out my life story!! I have to go...This is a crazy week!! Oh...
and one more thing...Aunt Flo came visit...so, I started a new packet of pills yesterday and should be getting my calendar sometime soon since they were just waiting on me!! HOORAY!! We are finally getting to move forward!! YAY!! Baby (ies) here we come!! I feel very POSITIVE about EVERYTHING!!!!

Your gonna do WHAT???

Some of you may remember last December, when we moved into the house that we are currently living in. It was a very stormy day...rain, rain, rain!! We moved from Keizer to Milwaukie in 8 hours including the hour drive. Suffice it to say...I think we are PROFESSIONALS!!

Fast forward to last night. Kent, myself, and the kids went and looked at a lovely home in Oregon City. It has everything we need/want (except a bonus room) and it is updated and very nice. And, the best part about this house is.....We are going to buy it!! WHAT'S THAT YOU SAY??? Buy it?? Yes!!!

The main reason that we are not going to buy the house we are currently living in, is the owners. We feel they want to keep this house as a rental...and we feel like if they eventually DID want to sell it, it would be pretty expensive, due to the upgrades and such....Now...on to the "other" house!!!

The people who currently own it wanted to sell it, but the market isn't/wasn't so hot...they put lots of money into upgrades, however, when they went to sell the house, it wouldn't go. So, we are doing a lease option which will allow us to lock in a price now, and purchase it within the next 2-3 years...thus also allowing us to finish paying off all of our debt before jumping into a large house payment!!

The kids are thrilled...we are thrilled...I am nervous...but that's just me!! Nervous Nellie...if I can't worry about something...why even show up? :)

So, here are some pics of our new house. We are looking to move around the 4th of October...so, if ya'll are not busy..........................I can't promise that there won't be any rain, but I would assume it wouldn't be as bad as the last move. Oh, and this IS the last move!! Scouts HONOR!! (Well...maybe when Kayte is out of high school....we may do it again...but for now!! YEAH BABY!!)

Morning Pics....

I had to take a couple of pics of the kids this morning...I was remarking just yesterday at how when the kids were younger, I would always take pictures of the kids on their first day of school. What a horrid mom I am, now that they are older!! Here it is...day 3...and I am just now grabbing some pics. Sheesh!!


Ashlyn was SO looking like an Audrey Hepburn DIVA this morning!! Oh, and she looked pretty darn cute too!!

Michael doesn't go to school until about 8:15 (that's late...he catches the bus about 8:25!!) so he was just reading this morning. Cartoons? NAH!! Give him a book any day!!


And the last picture is of Miss Kayte...

DON'T BLINK!!

Because if you do...life will pass you by!!

Can you believe that school is here again? We just said goodbye to the teachers...and now, we are saying our hello's!!

I think I will really like Kayte's teacher this year. First impressions....she seems very sweet and down to earth!! I love that in people. She looks like someone you could genuinely talk to...which is a wonderful feeling!! Kayte and I were going to get her a small plant this morning while at Fred Meyers...(we forgot the tissues yesterday while school shopping!!) so, we got the tissues...and then thought...well, maybe we would wait until Friday to get her something. Something to say.."WOW!! You made it through the first week!!" Kayte really liked that idea...and she (Kayte) said that then, she could possibly see what kinds of things she might like.

I think it will be a fabulous school year!!

Yesterday was labor day...however, instead of laboring...we exercised!! After a lazy morning, Kent, myself and Kayte went for a six mile bike ride. (Note to self...Ask if you CAN actually bruise your inner butt bone!!) And after dinner, the 5 of us went for a jog/run (for some) and walk...it's so nice being a family that gets along and loves to be with each other!!

No news really on the surro front. However, I did get a call from my agency saying that my IP's did find a new egg donor...so we hope to get everything underway again. Also, (I think this part is pretty cool...) my case manager asked me if I would mind being a "mentor" to a new surro who lives in my area. I said yes..no problem!! I would have loved to have someone show me the ropes...so to speak...have someone answer the mundane questions...perhaps even as far as telling me..in honest terms...just how bad the shots really are. So, I hope that she does call...and it's always wonderful to see other new surro's.

Well, that's it for this post. Michael doesn't start school till tomorrow...so it just him and I hanging out for the day. Maybe if I am really energetic...I might make some chocolate chip cookies for the girls after school. But then again, in our house, we will eat probably 5 cookies in all, then the rest will go to waste because we are not a huge, sweet eating family. So, we will just see what they day brings!!